Michael Chandler was confident that he’d settle the unfinished business against Conor McGregor on June 14 this year at the White House event. But Dana White ended up pouring cold water on ‘Iron’s dream, as the UFC boss completely rejected the idea, labeling it outdated. For Chandler,  that was a huge upset, but before he could recover from that disappointment, another one has followed.

According to reports, the promotion wanted the Missouri native in a stellar clash against Benoit Saint Denis at the UFC White House event. However, the fight apparently fell through after the Frenchman rejected the showdown because he wanted more time to recover from his last fight.

“MICHAEL CHANDLER HAS BEEN OFFERED TO BSD FOR THE WHITE HOUSE ON JUNE 14TH NEXT: REFUSAL ❌,” Culture MMA posted on X. “The BSD clan has refused the offer and will not be at the White House, in order to give BSD time to recover from the string of recent fights. Via @bigjohndepaname on Mandala,” they added.

Well, as the rumor of this fight has been spreading like wildfire, neither the involved fighters nor the UFC have confirmed the validity of any ongoing talks or an official offer. However, it stands to reason that the Benoit Saint Denis camp would be hesitant to say “yes” to this clash.

The former French paratrooper went through a gritty fight with Dan Hooker in the UFC 325 co-main event a few weeks ago. Although he won the bout in the second round with a vicious KO, ‘BSD’ also suffered some terrible cuts and bruises. So, he would definitely need some time to recover from that fight, as Culture MMA’s post suggested. But other than that, rankings could also be a big issue for the Frenchman in not taking this fight. 

Currently, ‘God of War’ is sitting in the top 5 lightweight rankings thanks to his four-fight winning streak. After his last victory, he also called out other stars like Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, and Arman Tsarukyan. So in that case, would he actually risk his place fighting Michael Chandler, who’s ranked number 13 in the division? The chances are very low, although the fight would be entertaining. 

Now, even though ‘Iron’s White House dreams are going through a series of upsets, all hope is definitely not lost. Fortunately, he has another stellar opponent to clash with at what could be the biggest UFC event ever. 

Michael Chandler gets a solid adversary for the UFC White House event

It’s true that ‘Iron’s career hasn’t turned out to be the best in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. But there’s no doubt fans love watching him clash inside the Octagon, swinging haymakers against opponents. Moreover, Chandler is also a proud American, so the former Bellator MMA champ ticks all the boxes to feature at the White House event. But since his other opponent options have fallen through, another possibility has risen in the name of King Green.

The 39-year-old veteran brutally finished a young up-and-comer, Daniel Zellhuber, at the UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 event in Mexico, proving that he still has it. After the bout, Green grabbed the opportunity to cement his place at the White House event, as he called out Michael Chandler during the post-fight interview.

“I don’t really call people out, but if I was to call somebody out, I would say Michael Chandler in the White House,” Green told Charly Arnolt on the UFC Fight Night 268 post-fight show. “Two great Americans. American bada— kickin,” he added.

Now we’re talking! Other than the fight against Conor McGregor, Chandler facing a veteran like King Green on June 14 seems to be the next best option, if not the best. Both fighters like to fight heavy on the feet, and the fans are sure to get a firefight.

That said, what do you think is next for Michael Chandler as he eyes a return at the White House event? Let us know in the comments section below.